1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to pushcarts for transporting baggage and the like; in particular the invention is directed to a baggage pushcart for use in airports, train stations, etc., maneuverable to negotiate an escalator stairway.
2. Description of Related Art
In large transportation centers, such as airports, handcarts or pushcarts are usually provided to assist with moving large suitcases, trunks, bags, etc. Passengers load their baggage on the carts and travel within the airport. Escalators are usually installed within airports, and users often ride the escalators with the carts loaded with their baggage.
The user of such a pushcart loaded with baggage confronts difficulties when boarding an escalator. Conventionally, pivotable caster wheels are employed on the cart, typically as the front wheel(s), and the rear wheels are fixed in the cart advancing direction to ensure that the cart moves straightforward. If available room on the way to the escalator is limited, the user may consequently find it difficult to maneuver the cart to board the escalator stairway. Further, once on board the escalator, the user has to be concerned with positioning the cart wheels centrally along the length of the escalator treads lest the cart drop when the moving stairway treads begin to slope, forming the escalator steps. With a heavily loaded cart, thus having to position the wheels can be a nuisance; worse than this bother is the danger should the cart drop if the wheels are caught on the edges of the formed escalator steps.
A separate consideration is that airport personnel who are charged with storing the baggage pushcarts join them together in long chains for transport to designated locations. Thus joining the carts, however, makes it very difficult to move the long chain sideways. Because the rear wheels are fixed in the advancing direction as noted above, the rear wheels of the joined carts must be skidded laterally.